Carter's Controversy
by ElegantButler
Summary: Edison finds himself at the center of a controversy on a popular TV show.
1. Chapter 1

Max Headroom / Steve Wilkos  
Carter's Controversy

The audience was seated as they waited for their host and his on-stage guests to arrive.  
The show promised to be very interesting, even more so than usual. One of the first guests was the legendary reporter Edison Carter from Network 23. From what the audience could gather, Carter was playing love games with a sweet sixteen. That was perfectly acceptable in London. But as an international reporter, Carter had the audience of the whole world to answer to, including those who lived in places where the age of consent was a bit older.

Steve Wilkos walked onto the stage to a round of applause. He didn't expect an ovation until it was earned. He knew better. After the time he had spent hosting this show, he knew his audience. They wanted authenticity. They wanted a hero. Somebody to champion those who came to his show seeking help rather than use their pain for his gain. Maybe some of the other daytime hosts played a tragedy for ratings. But he wasn't one of them. He had seen the pain in the eyes of the victims he stood up for on his stage. He had been sick to his stomach hearing the worlds of the abusers and molesters who blamed the children and spouses they hurt. His heart cheered each time one of the downtrodden who walked onto his stage walked off with their head held high.

"Our first guest is best known as Network 23's front end reporter. He has recently been seen attending several romantic venues with a teenage boy who we will meet later on. For now, let us look at this security camera video sent to us by a man who also works for Network 23."

An image flickered to life on the stage screen. The scene was fairly innocuous at first. Edison was seated at a table in a nice restaurant. Across from him was a boy of sixteen whom the audience did not know. The boy was dressed casually, but in a manner that suggested that he was middle to upper class.

The two were engrossed in conversation, which was punctuated from time to time by Edison gently tapping the boy on the top of the hand. At one point, the boy's eyes widened and he gave a nod. The moment that followed was marked by the gasps of the audience as Edison leaned across the table and kissed his date.

"Let's bring out Edison Carter."

The famed reporter walked onto the stage. There was a smattering of applause, and a few boos. But most of the audience weren't sure how to handle the situation. Carter had brought down several criminals in the past. But now it looked like he might be sexually manipulating a teenage boy. Time to sit back, listen to the full story, and see what was what.

"First off, until we know exactly what is going on, I'm going to ask you to stand." Steve told Edison, "I've seen the show you do. I know you've made quite a name for yourself taking on large corporations. You even faced off against organized religion in one show. Why would you risk the reputation you've built doing that by dating a child?"

Edison smiled. "Bryce is worth it," he replied. "And I'd hardly call him a child."

"You would hardly call a boy of sixteen a child," Steve countered. "Is that so?"

"Sixteen is legal age of consent where we live," Edison pointed out.

"That's not the point," Steve argued. "He's sixteen. A sixteen year old is not ready either emotionally or financially to settle down. And until a person is ready for that I just don't see how anyone can think it would be acceptable to ask them to become involved in an intimate relationship. But let's hear what he has to say about it. Let's bring out Bryce."

Bryce walked out onto the stage and sat down in the chair that Steve offered to him.

"Bryce, how long have you and Edison been involved?"

"Since the incident with Security Systems, I guess." Bryce admitted. "We shared a near-death experience during the events leading up to that report and ever since then, Edison and I have been very close."

"How did you get involved in the report Mr. Carter was doing?" Steve inquired.

"I'm Network 23's head of Research and Development," Bryce explained.

"Wait," Steve held up a hand. "You're telling me that Network 23 hires children for it's staff?"

Bryce resisted the urge to roll his eyes at being called a child and simply replied "Most of the bigger networks do it. Past experience has shown that children and young adults have the best grasp of things when it comes to technology."

"What about school?" Steve asked.

"I entered the Academy of Computer Sciences at the age of ten. I graduated and was accepted at Network 23 at the age of twelve," Bryce replied with a smile.

"And gave b- b- b- birth to me, technically speaking, at the age of sixteen." Max Headroom interrupted from the on stage screen.

"Max," Steve said, patiently. "I know you're used to just cutting in on Network 23. But this is my show and here we do things a little differently. So I'm asking you nicely to wait your turn."

"Sorry," Max replied, leaving the screen blank again.

"You want to know what I see when I look at you, Bryce?" Steve asked, kneeling down so he could speak to the young genius face to face. "I see a very intelligent kid. Yes, I said kid."

Bryce turned away.

"Don't turn away. Being a kid is nothing to be ashamed of. You've been deprived on the joys of a normal childhood. And instead of making up for that, Mr. Carter has been taking advantage of you."

"I..." Edison began.

Steve cut him off. "You should be taking him to sporting events, and fast food restaurants. Not on formal dates. If you really care about him. If you really care like you say you do, you'll help him get back at least some of what he's missed out on."


	2. Chapter 2

Max Headroom / Steve Wilkos  
Carter's Controversy

-Chapter 2: After the First Commercial-

Steve waited patiently for the ads to end. He looked at his audience, wondering what they thought of Edison Carter. He didn't like the reporter very much. This was a man who in his opinion should've know better. Carter defended the innocent against large corporations with his show. So he of all people should not be dating a boy of sixteen.

Bryce, on the other hand, was not the typical teenager whom Steve protected on his shows. He seemed a little shy in a public setting, and that gave Steve pause. But he was also gainfully employed, a college graduate, and extremely intelligent. These things put the young genius in a unique position regarding his apparent relationship with Edison.

The signal for the show to resume was given and Steve turned to Bryce.

"Bryce. How many times have you gone to the mall? Or had a date with someone your own age?"

"I honestly never left my lab at Network 23 until started working with Edison." Bryce admitted.

Steve turned to Edison. "So you saw a socially naive child and thought 'I'll take this blank slate and mold him into the person I want to have sex with.' is that it, Mr. Carter?"

"No. That's not it," Edison said. "I want to help Bryce become a complete person. I just want to fill in the blanks, that's all."

"Yeah. You want to fill him in all right," Steve retorted sarcastically. He turned to Bryce. "You have no friends your own age you can go out with?"

Bryce shrugged. "Not really. I'm not allowed to met up with most of them."

"Why not?" Steve asked.

"Network policy forbids contact with employees at rival networks," Bryce explained.

"And you know nobody your own age outside those people you graduated with."

Bryce nodded.

"That's really sad," Steve said, turning again to Edison. "You must meet all kinds of people during your investigations. And not once have you ever thought of using that to find a friend for this boy that you supposedly care about."

Edison looked down. He had to admit that Steve had a point. He did know a lot of people. And even if it wasn't appropriate to do so during his investigations, there was no real reason for him not to find another teenager for Bryce to talk to once in a while.

"Now, the audience didn't hear what was being said on that video we showed at the beginning of this program. Would you care to tell us what Carter said to you before he gave you that kiss?"

"He asked me to marry him," Bryce admitted. "I told him yes."

"Marry him. Isn't that so sweet. He asked you, a boy of sixteen whom he knew has no other prospects. Who has no friends his own age, and probably very few friends of any age, to marry him."

"I really wish you'd stop turning this good man into a villain," Bryce cut in. "He hasn't harmed me in any way. He isn't taking advantage of me either. I'm not stupid. Far from it."

"Nobody is calling you stupid, Bryce," Steve told him. "But even a super-genius can't be fully informed on a subject he doesn't know exists. But right now," he said, turning to the audience, "let's meet the man who called the show. Gene Ashwell."

Ashwell walked out on stage. "Hello, Bryce," he said, sounding amicable.

Bryce glared at him. "You're sick, you know that, Ashwell?" he snarled. "You take a perfectly good relationship and turn it into something sordid."

"How many times has Carter screwed you, Bryce?" Ashwell asked. "How many times?"

"I've never touched him in that manner," Edison said, angrily. "And since he is of age of consent, if I had it would be none of your damn business."

"Why would you do this, Ashwell?" Bryce demanded, "Why risk Network 23's reputation airing out my private business on a show that's airing on a rival network?"

"You need to be a kid for a while, Bryce." Ashwell had a look of adult superiority on his face.

"And you need to be a grown-up," Bryce retorted. "Just because you're the laughingstock of Network 23, you think you need to make everybody else look bad."

"I am not..." Ashwell began, "Look, you have no true understanding of the psychological harm that Carter is causing you by..."

"Oh, that's rich coming from the man who broke into my studio in the middle of the night and robbed me. while I was right there sleeping." Bryce shot back.

"I didn't rob you. I have the right to go anywhere in Network 23 that I choose, and Max is network property."

"You just strolled into his room while he was asleep and took something without asking?" Steve asked.

"That has nothing to do with this matter," Ashwell argued.

"You claim to be concerned for this boy's emotional well-being, and yet you just take something. And it never occurred to you that it might upset him to find that somebody could've broken in with him there. Somebody who might have kidnapped him."

"He's not to afraid of that. He's too naive to understand that there's something to be afraid of." Ashwell snarled.

"Just because I'm not having sex doesn't mean I don't know a little about it," Bryce shot back. "I know what goes where."

"After Carter's shown you a few dozen times, I'm not surprised," Ashwell argued.

"I've never let Edison touch me that way," Bryce pointed out.

"Yeah, right," Ashwell grumbled. "You've been his whore since you two met."

"Get the hell off my stage!" Steve yelled at Ashwell. "Look, I'm really sorry he put you through all this. But I still have to know, are you and Edison in a physical relationship?"

"Honestly, I'm a little too scared to let it get that far," Bryce admitted. With a deep blush he added, "When I created Max Headroom, I took a full-body inventory of Edison and..."

"You looked?!" Edison exclaimed, nearly falling over with laughter. "We hadn't even officially met and you looked at my..."

"It was a simple inventory for research purposes," Bryce told him. "I have one, too, you know. So I didn't think looking at yours would be a big deal. I didn't consider the emotional impact it would have on me. Mind you, I still don' know if I'd ever be able to take you in."

"We can wait until you're ready," Edison said. "Unless you'd rather find somebody you're less intimidated by. Maybe Steve is right. If you're really scared by what I have to offer, maybe you should find somebody else."

"I want you, Edison," Bryce told him. "I feel this is right in just about every way. It's just the size of... I don't know if I can handle it."

"I'm sorry, Bryce," Edison told him. "I'm calling the engagement off. You shouldn't marry somebody you feel sexually intimidated by. It wouldn't be fair to either of us to be in a relationship where we couldn't share an intimate moment. I want you to be happy, Bryce. I want whatever relationship you get into to be as fulfilling as possible."

"Sex isn't the only part of a relationship," Bryce pointed out.

"But it is a part of one," Edison replied. "Bryce I will always love you, and I'll always be there for you when you need a shoulder or a helping hand."

"I guess I can live with that." Bryce admitted.

"I think that's a very smart decision from both of you," Steve told them. "And given Bryce's admission, I don't think we need to read these lie-detector results," he added, ripping them up. "Bryce, I wish you only the best. Mr. Carter, keep up the good work on your reports."


End file.
